Concerns are escalating as the White House and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continue to report increasing flight disruptions across the United States. On Sunday, major airlines faced significant operational issues, resulting in thousands of disrupted flights nationwide due to air traffic controller shortages.
American Airlines and Southwest Airlines together reported over 3,300 flight disruptions on that day alone.
With the government shutdown continuing, many Americans are anxious about potential delays during the busy Thanksgiving travel period. GOP leaders have cautioned about the likely travel woes, which have been underscored by recent statements from the White House highlighting the impact of the shutdown on holiday air travel.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed concern about how the ongoing situation may affect Thanksgiving travel during a media briefing on October 23, 2025.
Leavitt emphasized the government’s deteriorating aviation conditions, stating, “With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, we are stepping into the busiest travel period of the year, when millions of Americans will head to airports to spend time with their loved ones.
Let us be very clear from the White House today. If the Democrats continue to keep the government closed, we fear that there will be significant flight delays, disruptions, and cancellations in major airports across the country this holiday season.”
She further warned that the continuous government shutdown could effectively ground American air travel.
This urgency echoed a similar sentiment from House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who asserted that disruptions would likely occur during the peak travel times.
“Airports will be flooded with flight cancellations and delays amid the busiest time to travel all year, and the list goes on and on,” said Emmer.
As uncertainty looms, it remains to be seen whether the government shutdown will extend until Thanksgiving, but the potential for chaos at airports is high if it does.
Delays and cancellations could prove especially problematic given projections for this year’s Thanksgiving travel.
Cirium data indicates that travel for Thanksgiving and Christmas is expected to surpass last year’s figures.
Comparisons between June 20, 2025, and October 8, 2025, show a 2% increase in holiday reservations compared to the same period in the previous year, and there is a 1% uptick for Christmas bookings as well.
In response to this rising demand, airlines including Southwest and American Airlines have increased their flight capacity, each adding over 100,000 seats for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Last year, American Airlines served approximately 8.3 million passengers during Thanksgiving, marking a 500,000 increase from the same time frame in 2023.
This year, airlines are bracing for an even larger influx of travelers during the holiday season.
Flight disruptions across the U.S. have surged over the weekend, reflecting the growing impact of the ongoing government shutdown.
On Sunday, data from FlightAware indicated that delays of flights entering, departing, or being conducted within the United States reached 8,697.
Major U.S.-based airlines were disproportionately affected, with Southwest Airlines experiencing delays on nearly half of its flights, totaling 2,075.
American Airlines led the disruptions with 1,269 delays and an additional 46 cancellations.
United Airlines saw 802 delays, while Delta Air Lines registered 712.
As of late Monday morning, it was evident that delays continued to disrupt operations among the leading U.S. airlines.
With stalled payments for air traffic controllers and the government shutdown approaching its one-month mark, the situation is expected to exacerbate this week.
Given the busy travel expected in November and December, it is crucial for both sides of the political spectrum to resolve the deadlock to mitigate the strain on employees and travelers during this holiday season.
image source from：thetravel
